Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?

Subject: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 04:26 PM

Ahead of the release of the Woodbine & Ivy Band album, we're releasing the band's version of Spencer the Rover, featuring a lovely vocal from Fay Hield, as a digital single. It will be available from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and all the usual suspects from 14th November. We'll also be making it available via our Bandcamp page.

We have the slightly grandiose notion that it would make a great Christmas hit single... and we reckon the last time there was a folk rock Christmas hit in the UK was way back in 1972 when Steeleye Span took Gaudete to No 14 in the UK charts (we're conveniently ignoring the Pogues' fantastic Fairytale of New York for the purposes of this story, of course). 39 years is far too long.

We've started a Facebook page to support the single, which you can find here: Facebook. If you use Facebook, please 'like' the page, post a link on your wall and spread the word. If you don't like Facebook, you can listen to the song here: Soundcloud

The album will be out on 28th November. More news on that to follow.

Thanks for reading. Before any wag mentions it, yes, we know if nearly two months til Christmas, but... we keep hearing this dreadful rumour that the X-Factor mob are determined to keep us off the number one spot AND that they have a bigger promotional budget than we do! So we thought we'd better get a head start.

Please indulge our preposterous scheme!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Tootler
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 07:14 PM

Nicely done.

Unfortunately, dream on.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 27 Oct 11 - 07:23 PM

Hey Tootler, Thank you! Less of the 'dream on' though... we may surprise ourselves yet!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Banjiman
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 08:42 AM

Good luck Mr Cringe. I hope it's a big hit!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 09:21 AM

Do Christmas No.1s still exist?

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: theleveller
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 09:24 AM

Love it! It'll beat the b******s off anything from X Factor.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Johnny J
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 10:29 AM

"we reckon the last time there was a folk rock Christmas hit in the UK was way back in 1972"

You have also forgotten "Day Trip to Bangor" by Fiddlers dram in 1979.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 10:36 AM

Do they still exist? Well, Mr Hanky was a Christmas No 1... What this thing needs is a video, like Annie Lennox's Xmas album - and Tori Amos's reworkings of Xmas classic. Love this:

Tori Amos - Jeanette, Isabella

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 10:47 AM

This is lovely! Thanks for telling us about it!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: theleveller
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 10:56 AM

"Do they still exist?" No - parts of them morphed into Oysterband.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 11:54 AM

I don't like it, but thank you for the Soundcloud link which will be a great help in working out the harmony version of this song that has been half-lurking in my head for several months.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 12:06 PM

Trouble is, stiff competition

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/johnkellyharmoniumhero/index.html

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: johnadams
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 12:20 PM

And a bit of competition from Pilgrim's Way - a rather nice bit of singing from Lucy Wright.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 12:34 PM

All this talk of competition runs contrary to the cause! Where's the spirit of co-operation and contribution to the greater cultural & common good? Or must we succombe to churlishness & general humbug? Perish the thought! Omnia Tempus Habent!!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: johnadams
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 01:59 PM

Surely the spirit of co-operation and contribution to the greater cultural & common good has been achieved by making the tracks in the first place and damn fine tracks they are too.

Getting them to a wide audience would be a further aim and the number one slot is, by definition, a competition, as is getting a gig or selling a cd.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 04:19 PM

Pilgrim's Way and John Kelly are both brilliant! We hope they sell zillions of records and have crowds clamouring to get into their gigs, because they deserve it. Now get over and 'like' our Facebook page!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Reinhard
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 06:17 PM

That's a wonderful single by Pilgrims' Way.

But I wonder why the iTunes store can't spell their name properly and why they chose to throw away the name of the single, Shining Gently All Around, and named it after the first track instead. That makes it difficult to find and therefore difficult to become *the* Christmas hit.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: johnadams
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 06:50 PM

Sorry Reinhard, I don't understand your post.

The original Incredible String Band track was, as far as I can see, Chinese White which is the subtitle of this track, now renamed Magic Christmas Tree. What's the 'first track' you refer to?

Yes, the name has suffered from the dreaded misplaced apostrophe.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Reinhard
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 07:03 PM

John, according to the Fellside website and the cover picture, the album's title is "Shining Gently All Around". The three tracks on it are Magic Christmas Tree (Chinese White), Light Dragoon, and Howden Town (a.k.a. The White Hare of Howden).

iTunes sells the album under the name "Magic Christmas Tree".

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: johnadams
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 07:15 PM

Ah, I get you.

I think they should have not bothered with the other two tracks and just put up the Christmas track, but I guess that the single track download will sell over Christmas whatever package it's in.

Their new 11 - track CD, Wayside Courtesies is excellent and I'll be featuring it on my next radio show prior to PW doing the Ryburn Club on Nov 30th.

I'd like to get hold of the Woodbine & Ivy track as well. It's a great rendition of one of the favourite songs from my old Muckram Wakes days.

There's some great music around isn't there!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Reinhard
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 07:33 PM

There is, by all means. Both songs / albums are excellent.

By the way, Jon and Fay sang Spencer the Rover as the November 4, 2010 entry of A Folk Song a Day project, so the song will be back on the AFSAD website next Friday. It will be interesting to compare their unaccompanied duet to the Woodbine & Ivy version.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 28 Oct 11 - 07:33 PM

Oi you lot! Start yer own thread....

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 02:56 AM

... meant in the nicest possible way of course!

Back on the subject of Spencer the Rover, check your emails in about five minutes, John.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Fossil
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 03:50 AM

Hmm! Nice song, nicely sung. But too long, the lead singer needs harmony support and the band needs to be turned down a notch, to let the story get through.

Christmas No 1? (what an archaic concept!). Nice though it is, slightly out of left field. So probably not. If I ever bought records any more - why bother when you can get it out of the library? - I'd put it on the list. Wish y'all and your audacious concept all the best!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 06:20 PM

We love archaic concepts! That's why we like folk (boom! boom!)... Thanks for all the good wishes on this thread.

You can still follow us on Facebook and if you're so inclined via @TheFolkPolice tweets.

Now I'll stop doing random shameless promotion until I have something new to add...

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 06:52 PM

I "liked" it on FB. Nicely done, though I agree about the band being turned down a notch. Thanks for sharing and good luck!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 09:32 AM

Excellent. Sounds positively Sound Techniques to me. Er, did Bill Leader have anything to do with it by the way? I see he's in some pics on the F/Police site.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 10:06 AM

Ed - Bill came along to some of the sessions and offered some great help, advice, support and general good vibes. It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet him.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 06:56 AM

Now available from iTunes, pop pickers!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 07:37 AM

Count me in :-)

DtG

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Bernard
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 05:05 PM

We played it on Oldham Community Radio this evening!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 05:21 PM

I enjoyed listening to it. I have clicked 'like' and both links are on my Facebook wall together with the link to this thread.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 05:52 PM

Thanks Dave, Bernard and Eanjay! And thanks to Ali for playing it...

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 05:59 PM

And there's badges too!

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 02:56 AM

Hooray! Four stars in today's Guardian! Woodbine & Ivy Band

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: theleveller
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 03:29 AM

Just off to buy it now.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 04:07 AM

Still waiting for my W&IB chufty badge, Spleen - we want to wear 'em with pride at Kikby Fleetham tomorrow where we'll probably kick off the Ballad Session with Alison Gross...

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:12 AM

Manchester and Folk Police musicians The Woodbine and Ivy Band in The Guardian today:

It starts with gently edgy backing and sturdy vocals from Fay Hield, and then suddenly the traditional favourite Spencer the Rover is transformed, with a startling, epic wash of sound in which trumpets are matched against pedal steel guitar, percussion and keyboards, with a 12-piece vocal chorus joining in. There have been earlier experiments in reworking British folk song, from the folk-rock of Fairport Convention to the global influences and electronica of the Imagined Village, and now comes a group of nine Manchester musicians with their own unique approach. Each of the 10 tracks here features a different lead singer, including several (mostly female) folk celebrities, whose work is transformed thanks to the bold arrangements. So on Alison Gross, the husband-and-wife team Rapunzel & Sedayne sing against a barrage of twanging guitars, galloping percussion and keyboards, while on the bleak Derry Gaol, Jackie Oates is backed by harp, trumpet and repeated electronic effects. At times there's a danger of sonic overkill – The Roving Journeyman almost topples over in a barrage of rock guitars, squeaking effects and voices – but it's a brave and entertaining set.

L in C#

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:42 AM

Ahem - that should be ...the husband-and-wife folk 'n' fun team Rapunzel & Sedayne...

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:58 AM

Good press - and the R&S rise to world domination continues! Weird that he didn't like The Roving Journeyman, though - it's one of the best things on there IMO. And he didn't even mention my personal favourite, Olivia Chaney's beautiful reading of Poor Murdered Woman.

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 06:23 AM

What a voice she has

L in C#

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 07:18 PM

Just pinned my W&IB chufty badge on my duffle coat to my Rhombus ov Doom button; now I feel ready for anything...

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 02:58 PM

Loving the album; the louder the better. On our recent travels we've listened to it a goodly few times - along with Matt Berry's Witchazel album which (like W&IB) is neo-folk folk-antedote of the highest order... Anyway - a few favourites beggining to emerge. Gentle Johnny is an erotic-pop masterpiece - I was freestyling it around York today in the freezing fog (I put my hand all on her belly, she said fuck I'm watching the telly etc.) but my favourite is Jim Causley's morning dog song which is like Martin Carthy meets The Smiths on Craggy Island over seen by The Divine Comedy... Classic stuff. I FATEA's view of things:

An album that will serve as a reference point for years to come, it really is that strong... if you fail to be moved by this album it would be because you are already dead

Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1?
From: GUEST,Rob Barratt (Bodmin)
Date: 27 Dec 11 - 11:35 AM

It's funny but only today (27th Dec - a bit late, I know) I was thinking that "Spencer The Rover" would make a great Christmas song becaiuse of its beautiful tune and humanitarian, anti-materialist lyric. But the version I've been listening to to give me this idea is by Cornish duo, Corncrow. I've been playing it a lot since they brought out their first CD in the Spring. I googled it to find out about the origin of the song which is how I came across this page. Anyway, good luck with your version and I hope it goes to No.1!

Rob Barratt (Bodmin)